Can colorants be added to SPI Clears to make base coats?

7

777funk

I have some pigments from a NAPA (Martin Senior brand). Can I mix these in with SPIs clears to make my own base coats?
 
I've just tried mixing colorants into another poly finish and it seems to work just fine. I'd bet the SPI would take on a certain amount of pigment.

EDIT: I ended up using a universal tint that I had laying around (not the MArtin Senour pigment)
 
What are you trying to achieve? Depending on which Martin Senour product you have, it probably can be used all by itself mixed with reducer and some hardener. Mixing these with clear will not create basecoat, but will create a tinted clear with unknown properties.
 
It seems to have worked as a base color. Unknown properties? Yes but I'd bet it'll hold up just fine. We'll see! It's not on a car (it's a guitar) so it doesn't have to have the weather durability or light fastness a base would have. Seems to be ok so far.
 
It seems to me that useing clear for the color carrier would just cause a
thicker finish overall, after the clear/base coating, you'd still need a straight clear
coat for protection of the pigment.
Useing intercoat clear for the color carrier would probably be better, thinner,
then regular clear over that.
More like a "candy system"
 
First let me say that I am not a chemist, but I am going to point something out. If you take Scotch and add water to it, does that make more Scotch? It is just some watered down Scotch.

If you add anything to Universal clear, it will only be UV Clear with something added. I would be willing to bet that it will still need the right amount of activator for it to set-up. The big question is how those other products are going to react.

Aaron
 
Of course it would need hardener/catalyst that would be a given. But how everything will work together, yes that's definitely a mystery.

In the auto re-fin industry no-one is a risk taker and with good reason. It's a big job and not one to take lightly. But the way I see it, if it looks right and it holds up right, it is right.
 
So you have the means to perform accelerated artificial weathering tests on your concoctions, then?
 
Can anybody remember when Barry formulated the black single stage based on the Universal clear?

If I remember correctly he said it was a b!tch to make it right, it wasn't as simple as adding some black toner, dispersant and calling it a day. From this I can surmise that adding some other stuff to the Universal might not be a very good idea, too many damn unknowns there. Why mess up a perfectly good clear?

Just my $.02
 
Safest bet is to add a pigment to intercoat clear, the SPI base coat was the intercoat clear with 22-30% pigment added.

The SPI SS was universal with pigment added and pigment dispersant's and the Universal would be a more risky bet for you to do because of the lack of dispersant's and getting the correct OH/NCO ratio with the activator.
 
Jorge...I remember waiting for the black SS. I had a project I was trying to get done and needed it real bad. I think I used up all my minutes on my cell phone constantly calling Barry trying to get him to rush on it. I think he was about to change his cell number so I couldn't call him anymore. LOL

Aaron
 
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